The "Mystery" of AC/DC "Let There Be Rock" tone solved.

[SoloDallas]

I *think* I "solved" this one as well. How arrogant of me.
Though I am not an arrogant individual.

But chatter apart, I remember some debate about the nature of the guitar(s) sound of AC/DC 1977 album "Let There Be Rock".
I remember several hypothesis, of amps, boosts etc.
Roe had suggested - for example - that it may be an older Marshall and a treble boost.
I tried that route extensively, but it never satisfied me.

So I figured out eventually why it does sound so special and "raw". It is - and now that I say, some of you - the interested ones - might "Gee, should've though myself about this" because it really is that simple: go back to it some, and listen to it some again.
Do you hear... solid state distortion as well as tube distortion? Yes you do. And do you know why? Because the mic preamp has gone into considerate, conscious (wanted) distortion while tracking. It was meant as an effect and seemingly, it worked out.
It was Marshall 2203s with no boost of any kind, just brand new 2203s (for the time, 1977) with Neumann U47 FETs fed into distortion into the mic preamp of the (I think Neve) console.
That's it. I have video(s) ready to post, will do so shortly.
I have a very close match and if you think about it some, you'll agree that it isn't a strange combination at all.
Both the brothers had always stated that with the exception of Angus on a Schaffer Vega Diversity (that wasn't there until August of that same year, 1977, so not there at the time of the recording of this studio album) on most of the following album and stage shows, no effect of any kind has ever been used.

They did say the truth after all. Not that I'd ever doubt, but it's nice to have a sort of "sonic, sound" proof of this once more.

Fil!

(PS posting videos soon)

[demonufo]

I *think* I "solved" this one as well. How arrogant of me.

Makes perfect sense to me. It always sounded very harshly clipped to me, and mic pre-amp and/or tape distortion makes me think of my earliest recording efforts years ago on an old Fostex R-8 I used to have using similar experiments. It's just my playing was abysmal back then.


Hang on...

My playing is still abysmal now.

[SoloDallas]

And "sonic proof" is here!

Fil

Yah right, here :

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDyCc6Dv8LM[/youtube]

Further speculations on my behalf and settings:

http://www.solodallas.net/acdcs-hell-ai ... e-be-rock/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[stef]

Bravo!

[FL6]

Awesome.
I wish I could just hear the one guitar track mono.

[Roe]

sounding good! what do you think of the let there be rock the movie sound? was it a booster? it couldn't have been wireless could it?

[SoloDallas]

sounding good! what do you think of the let there be rock the movie sound? was it a booster? it couldn't have been wireless could it?

Thank you all, and pleased to have you watch this, too, Roe!
Naturally you went straight to the other "only" left "mystery", I would say: the movie.
I have no idea yet, Roe. "We" (at solodallas.com) have discovered that, while Angus breathes oxygen in the small break he makes during the movie, there IS a Schaffer-Vega Diversity system, right there, clearly visible, near the three Marshall heads on the side of the stage that Angus goes to.
http://www.solodallas.net/wp-content/up ... ighten.png
This SVDS is on, lights can be clearly seen. But Angus has a cable, and a long one.
Now, my current theory is that, much likely, there were noises of various kinds and likely, interferences. Therefore, the SVDS might well have been used here as well, but with the X10 transmitter right next to the X63 receiver and a long cable going into the X10. The proximity of the X10 to the X63 "might" have eliminated the interferences or a malfunction etc.
Therefore, it "may" be a working SVDS likely plugged into a 2203 (I still hear the sound of a 2203).
One thing I am almost sure is that the guitar(s) tone knob was rather closed; I hear that typical sound/tone deriving from this. This may have been done for various reasons.

I will try this combination this very incoming week (i.e., SVDS into 2203) to try and debunk this only left "Mystery" of this era, since I now think all other albums are pretty much debunked (1975 to 1980 that is).

I do not think they had any boost of any kind BUT the SVDS system Angus had.

[efraser68]

Solodallas, your videos are always inspiring, keep them coming I've heard a few folks asking for tracks with just guitar, no backing etc. I put together a little AC/DC medley of some of my favorite riffs. Just guitar + Marshall + a little verb. What do you think?

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11245151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tone Slinger]

Great stuff SoloDallas ! It makes perfect sense in a very 'Sensible' way, due to all the photo's, footage and word of mouth (and ears ).

Love the vid !

Efraser, man that tone is just incredible.

MASTER Marshall !

[efraser68]

Great stuff SoloDallas ! It makes perfect sense in a very 'Sensible' way, due to all the photo's, footage and word of mouth (and ears ).

Love the vid !

Efraser, man that tone is just incredible.

MASTER Marshall !

Thanks Andy ~ that clip was done with the Ernie Ball Axis Sport.